The car's engine hummed quietly, a low sound that matched the rain tapping against the roof.
Rick had no idea how long they'd been driving. The city lights had faded away, replaced by dim tunnels and shadows that stretched endlessly.
At one point, he thought they were underground — then the car tilted downward, the air pressure shifted, and the GPS on the dashboard went blank.
"Where the hell are we?" he asked.
Lira didn't look up from her phone. "Beneath Greyhaven. The old subway lines. The Council's stronghold is down here."
"Secret magical government hiding in an abandoned subway," Rick muttered. "Yeah, that sounds about right."
She almost smiled at that — almost. "The Hallowed Council has existed for centuries. Humans like you built over their sanctuaries, thinking they were just ruins. You're standing on top of old magic every day and don't even know it."
The car finally stopped before a set of massive steel doors engraved with symbols Rick had never seen before. They glowed faintly blue, like veins of lightning under ice.
Lira stepped out first, the echo of her heels sharp against the wet stone floor. Rick followed, feeling his stomach twist. The air was colder here, heavier — every breath carried a metallic taste, like old blood and energy.
The doors opened silently.
Beyond them was a hall that looked like a cathedral had collided with a data center. Gothic arches towered overhead, but the walls shimmered with holographic screens and floating glyphs. People — or at least things that looked like people — moved quietly across the room. Some wore suits, others robes. Some had faint glows in their eyes or strange markings on their skin.
Rick whispered, "These are all…?"
"Council operatives," Lira said. "Agents, scholars, mediators. Vampires, fae, shapeshifters, and a few humans who earned their place."
"And they're all okay with this… cross-species cooperation?"
"They have to be," she said. "The Council's only purpose is balance. Without it, we'd be at war every day."
They reached a circular platform at the end of the hall. Lira gestured for him to step on it. The floor lit up under his feet, and suddenly, the platform began to rise.
Rick grabbed the railing. "Okay, cool, no warning at all. Love that."
Lira's lips twitched. "You'll get used to it."
The platform carried them upward into a chamber made entirely of dark glass and light. Five figures stood around a glowing table shaped like a ring. Each wore a cloak with a different insignia — sun, moon, claw, thorn, and flame.
Lira bowed slightly. "High Councilors, this is Rick Danner. The human who saw through the Veil."
The one with the sun emblem — a tall woman with silver hair — spoke first. "So it's true. A Seer awakened without ritual."
The man beside her, cloaked in thorns, frowned. "Impossible. The Veil hasn't opened naturally in over a century."
Rick swallowed hard. "Uh… hi. Rick Danner. Not sure what I'm doing here, but if this is some kind of job interview, I'd like to pass."
The one with the moon insignia — an older man with calm, glowing eyes — chuckled softly. "You have courage, at least."
The woman with the flame emblem stepped forward. Her presence alone made the air hotter. "Tell us, human. What did you see when the Veil broke?"
Rick hesitated. "A vampire and a werewolf fighting. They called me a Seer. And after that… everything changed. I saw symbols, creatures… things hiding everywhere."
The Council members exchanged glances.
The man with the claw emblem leaned forward. "And you felt something? Inside you?"
Rick nodded slowly. "Yeah. Like power. Like it wanted to protect me."
The room fell silent.
Finally, the silver-haired woman spoke again. "This shouldn't be possible. Humans cannot channel Veil energy. It burns them."
Lira spoke quietly. "He didn't burn."
"That makes him dangerous," the thorn-cloaked man said.
Rick raised his hands. "Whoa, let's not throw around the 'dangerous' word too fast. I didn't ask for this."
"You think the Veil cares what you asked for?" the flame woman snapped. "You are an anomaly. An open gate. And open gates attract monsters."
Rick stepped back, instinctively reaching for his glowing arm. "So what are you saying? That I'm a target now?"
The moon man nodded. "You always were. The Eclipse Order already knows about you. They will hunt you to break the barrier completely."
Rick's stomach sank. "So what, I'm bait?"
The flame woman's expression softened slightly. "No. You're something much worse."
Lira shot her a warning look. "Councilor—"
"Enough," the silver-haired woman said, her voice echoing with power. "The boy stays under our protection. Until we know what he truly is."
Rick frowned. "What I truly am? You keep saying that like I'm not human."
Lira looked at the floor. The Councilors exchanged glances again.
Finally, the moon man said softly, "Tell me, Rick Danner… do you know your family history?"
Rick blinked. "I mean, not really. My parents died when I was twelve. My brother's the only family I have left."
The silver-haired woman nodded slowly, her expression unreadable. "Then you don't know. Perhaps that's for the best."
Rick's frustration boiled over. "Don't know what?"
Before anyone could answer, the floor trembled. A deep, distant roar shook the walls, followed by alarms blaring in strange, echoing tones.
Lira drew her weapon instantly. "That's the lower level," she said. "They've breached the tunnel!"
The flame woman turned sharply. "The Eclipse Order!"
Rick's pulse raced. "You mean they found me?"
"No," Lira said, her eyes darkening as energy shimmered around her. "They found us."
The chamber lights dimmed as the sound of explosions rumbled below. Red warning runes lit up across the glass walls, flashing in time with the alarm.
The silver-haired Councilor's voice cut through the chaos. "Lira, get him out of here!"
"But—"
"Now!"
Rick didn't argue. Lira grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the lift. The entire floor shuddered beneath them. Dust fell from the ceiling like ash.
As the doors closed, Rick looked back at the Council chamber one last time — just long enough to see something crash through the wall. Something enormous, winged, and made of black mist.
The Veil wasn't holding anymore.
And whatever lived beyond it… had just stepped through.